The invention concerns a contact unit for a card-shaped carrier element of electronic components, especially for ISO 7816 chip cards, with an insertable card-shaped housing that has a base plate and a cover plate that is congruent thereto at least in the transverse direction, between which is formed a slot-like insertion channel that opens on one side of the housing for receiving a chip-card, and that at the opposing side is provided with a plug-in strip, especially in accordance with the PCMCIA standard, and that furthermore has arranged parallel to the insertion channel in the housing a printed circuit board that is connected electrically to the plug-in strip and that is provided on its surface with a contact field for contact with the chip-card.
Chip-card readers of this type are known, e.g. in German Utility Model DE 298 11 425 U1. They are suitable for being connected via the plug-in strip, especially in accordance with the PCMCIA standard, to data processing systems, e.g. notebook computers, and are used therein for evaluating data or for running applications, e.g. opening access authorization to data networks, performing at-home banking, or even for expanding memory, using the telephone, etc. Another application for this type of chip-card reader is as a common interface in connection with digital television. A short version of reading devices, especially in accordance with PCMCIA type 11, is used for all notebook applications; it can be inserted in its entirety into the insertion chamber of the notebook without parts projecting therefrom and thereby impairing mobility and ease of use when it is in its inserted condition. In contrast, digital television applications use a longer version of these reading devices, in which the housing in the rearward area, that is, at the side opposing the plug-in strip, is provided with an extension that guides the chip-card to be inserted and that facilitates use of the reading device. The extension represents a type of pre-positioned guide for the chip-card and mechanically stabilizes the chip-card reader for the very demanding operating conditions on the consumer market. It is not possible to use such reading devices with the extension projecting from the module receiving slot of the computer when in the operating position, e.g. in notebooks, since there is the risk during mobile use that contact will be impaired and that transport problems will occur.
There is therefore a need to make available short reading devices for notebook computers and similar devices for mobile usage depending on the area of application and to use the long version with the extended region during stationary use, e.g. in digital television applications. These requirements represent a significant obstacle in terms of production because different manufacturing processes and machines must be used for the different devices and furthermore the entire issue of logistics and storage becomes more complex.
It is therefore an object of the invention to improve a contact unit of the type described in the foregoing such that both the short version and the long version of the reading device can be produced in one manufacturing process.